Everything You Need To Know About E-commerce Penetration Testing

E-commerce stores are always at risk of hackers and other threats stealing their data. Therefore, knowing potential security risks is critical, especially when you’re running an online store. A good security system is essential to protect your customer data, your financial information, and the integrity of your website. That’s why e-commerce penetration testing is so important. 

E-commerce penetration testing is a process where security experts test an e-commerce website for vulnerabilities. This testing identifies any security flaws or weaknesses that cybercriminals might exploit. This testing helps secures your business and helps prevent data breaches and other security incidents. 

When contacting penetration testing for your e-commerce platform, here are things you need to know: 

1. The Cost Of Penetration Testing

The cost of penetration testing is usually based on the size and complexity of your website. Depending on your budget, you can select basic or advanced tests to provide a more thorough assessment of your e-commerce platform’s security. 

On average, penetration testing can vary between USD$15,000 and USD$30,000. Some factors that determine how much you pay include the following: 

• The complexity of the database, IP addresses, and applications
• Number of servers and networks
• Timeframe for the test
• Onsite vs. remote penetration testing
• Type of remediation and recommendations

The cost can still increase, depending on the services you get and the provider you choose. Regardless, penetration testing is a sound investment to keep your e-commerce store secure.

2. Why You Should Use Managed IT Services

Another critical thing to note before conducting e-commerce penetration testing is the benefits of working with a reliable and reputable managed IT services provider. While an in-house IT team performing pen testing isn’t uncommon, the result might not be as comprehensive as working with a company specializing in this service. 

When you engage with managed IT services, they provide an experienced team who can identify any existing vulnerabilities on your e-commerce platform and suggest remediation strategies to fix them. This ensures your website is up-to-date with the latest security protocols to protect against potential cyber threats.

Moreover, managed IT services offer additional technical support when you need it in the future. This includes help with patching and fixing any bugs or vulnerabilities that they identify during penetration testing. You can click here for managed cyber security and learn more about how they can help you.

3. Types Of Penetrating Testing To Utilize

There are different types of e-commerce penetration testing you can use to ensure the security of your website and its data. As you have an e-commerce store, you won’t have to conduct physical pen testing. Instead, you can do the following:

• Web Application Testing: This type of test focuses on checking for any flaws in the web application, such as Structured Query Language (SQL) injection or Cross-Site Scripting (XSS) attacks. 
• Network Penetration Testing: This test involves checking for weaknesses in the network architecture, such as unpatched systems or poor authentication protocols.
• Social Engineering Testing: This type of test focuses on identifying any social engineering attempts, such as phishing or social engineering attacks, that criminal elements can use to gain access to your e-commerce platform.
• Wireless Penetration Testing: This type of test involves checking for any weaknesses in the wireless network, such as weak encryption or weak authentication protocols.

Of course, you don’t have to utilize all these pen tests to check each area of your e-commerce site. Still, working with a managed IT service provider helps you identify the testing your website needs.

4. When To Conduct Penetration Testing

You must conduct penetration testing periodically to identify and address any new vulnerabilities or threats. The first pen testing should be done immediately before your site goes live. If you do it earlier, there’s a risk of missing out on some of the newer threats that come during the later stages of the development cycle.

Conducting regular pen tests after major changes to your e-commerce platform is also critical. This could be a new feature, an update, or a patch installation. This ensures all the recent changes are secure and won’t leave any gaps for attackers.

5. Benefits Of Penetration Testing

The primary benefits of e-commerce penetration testing are ensuring your platform is secure and that you identify and address any potential vulnerabilities or threats. This will help protect your customer data and minimize the risk of a malicious attack. 

Penetration testing also provides you with a better understanding of how attackers may try to gain access to your system. This can help you improve security protocols, such as requiring two-factor authentication or a strong password policy. Finally, by conducting regular tests, you ensure your platform is always up-to-date with the latest security standards and protocols, keeping it safe from any potential attackers.

Conclusion 

E-commerce penetration testing is essential for any e-commerce store. Pen testing helps protect your customer data and ensures you identify and address potential vulnerabilities or threats. A secure e-commerce store is essential for building customer trust and providing a safe purchasing experience.